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superstition, the grandeur of Jehovah's majestic interposition would also make the
deeper impression. But although from Elijah's point of view it was important that the
priests of Baal should first offer their sacrifice, the proposition was one to which no
objection could be taken, since Elijah not only gave them the choice of the sacrificial
animal, but they were many as against one. Nor could they complain so far as
regarded the test proposed by Elijah, since their Baal was also the god of fire, the
very Sun-god.^8
Now commenced a scene which baffles description. Ancient writers have left us
accounts of the great Baal-festivals, and they closely agree with the narrative of the
Bible, only furnishing further details. First rose a comparatively moderate, though
already wild, cry to Baal; followed by a dance around the altar, beginning with a
swinging motion to and fro.^9
The howl then became louder and louder, and the dance more frantic. They whirled
round and round, ran wildly through each other's ranks, always keeping up a circular
motion, the head low bent, so that their long dishevelled hair swept the ground.
Ordinarily the madness now became infectious, and the onlookers joined in the
frenzied dance. But Elijah knew how to prevent this. It was noon - and for hours they
had kept up their wild rites. With cutting taunts and bitter irony Elijah now reminded
them that, since Baal was Elohim, the fault it must lie with them. He might be
otherwise engaged, and they must cry louder. Stung to madness, they became more
frantic than before, and what we know as the second and third acts in these feasts
ensued. The wild howl passed into piercing demoniacal yells. In their madness the
priests bit their arms and cut themselves with the two-edged swords which they
carried and with lances.^10
As blood began to flow the frenzy reached its highest pitch, when first one, then
others, commenced to "prophesy," moaned and groaned, then burst into rhapsodic
cries, accusing themselves, or speaking to Baal, or uttering incoherent broken
sentences. All the while they beat themselves with heavy scourges, loaded or armed
with sharp points, and cut themselves with swords and lances - sometimes even
mutilated themselves - since the blood of the priests was supposed to be specially
propitiatory with Baal.
Two more hours had this terrible scene lasted - and their powers of endurance must
have been all but exhausted. The sun had long passed its meridian, and the time of
the regular evening-sacrifice in the Temple of Jehovah at Jerusalem had come. From
the accounts of Temple-times left us we know that the evening sacrifice was offered
"between the evenings," as it was termed - that is, between the downgoing of the sun
and the evening.^11
(^)